Sour Lake, Ganado Form Sister-City Initiative

(From the Texas Government Insider, a publication of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.)

The cities of Sour Lake and Ganado have partnered to function as sister cities in times of crisis, such as the devastation wrought to each town by Hurricanes Ike and Rita. The partnership was spear-headed by Suzie Simmons, a member of the Sour Lake City Council and Ganado Mayor and Immediate Past-President of TARC, Clinton Tegeler. Both cities have similar populations and tax bases.

“We felt we could learn a lot from each other,” Simmons said. Tegeler echoed that sentiment, saying he wanted to expand partnerships beyond the city level by adding cooperatives between the towns’ school districts, churches, and other community organizations.

The co-op program is tentatively known as the Texas Rural Exchange (T-REX). Its first mission is to revamp downtown buildings in Ganado citing Sour Lake’s recent successful developments in that area.  Tegeler said it’s all about changing residents’ mentally regarding downtown revitalization. “It’s our responsibility to invest in the community and make it attractive,” he said.